AJ Foyt Racing has announced that it has brought veteran engineer Michael Cannon into the team for the upcoming 2023 IndyCar season.
Cannon will lead the rest of the team’s engineers as they work on the two entries piloted by Santino Ferrucci and rookie Benjamin Pedersen.
“What was supposed to be a summer job when I was 20 years old turned into a career in motor racing,” said Cannon in the release. “[Joining AJ Foyt] was an opportunity to do something that interests me.
“I know that Larry [Foyt] has been working hard to move the team up the grid. I saw this opportunity to both help him and Santino [Ferrucci] and obviously Benjamin Pedersen who’s coming on board. I want to see if I can make a difference here.”
Cannon has nearly 50 years of racing experience, which includes winning the 2020 championship with Scott Dixon at Chip Ganassi Racing in 2020, and stints with many of the other teams on the grid.
He brings a wealth of knowledge with him to Foyt, which has been struggling to achieve strong results in recent years. Last year the team’s best finish was a single 10th place effort by Kyle Kirkwood, who moved on to Andretti Autosport for next season.
Cannon’s hiring is the latest in a larger reorganization within the team, with two other experienced managers along with six additional mechanics this offseason.
It is hoped that the restructuring will help the team get back into closer competition with its rivals and move up from the bottom places on the points table.
“We certainly have many new faces in the team this year, but I can say the feeling is very positive and everyone is pulling in the same direction,” Team President Larry Foyt said.
“We know it will take some time to get where we want to be, but we are looking forward to the challenge and proving that we are heading in the right direction.”
